


What's In A Name

by Higuchimon



Category: Digimon Adventure Zero Two | Digimon Adventure 02
Genre: Angst, Character Diversity Boot Camp, Digimon Partners Boot Camp, Diversity Writing Challenge, Fluff, Gen, Happy Ending, Include The Word Boot Camp
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:02:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25006624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Higuchimon/pseuds/Higuchimon
Summary: Ken’s no longer the Kaiser.  It’s a new beginning, for him and for Wormmon.
Comments: 11
Kudos: 20





	1. Chapter 1

**Title:** What’s In A Name  
**Characters:** Ken, Wormmon  
**Chapters:** One|| **Words:** 1,207|| **Total:** 1,207  
**Genre:** Drama, Friendship|| **Rated:** G  
**Challenges:** Diversity Writing, Digimon Adventure 02, alternate/divergent canon: H10, 6+ chapters; Digimon Partners Boot Camp, Ken & Wormmon, #36, absolution; Include The Word Boot Camp,#26, alike; Character Diversity Boot Camp, #24, regroup (Ken)  
**Notes:** This is a bit of a rewrite/behind the scenes concerning Ken & Wormmon’s reunion and Wormmon’s first evolution to Stingmon.  
**Summary:** Ken’s no longer the Kaiser. It’s a new beginning, for him and for Wormmon.

* * *

Ken stared down at the keyboard. Or more accurately, he stared at the device and the little _thing_ next to it. In the back of his head, he knew what at least one of them was. The other one he wasn’t sure about, but both of them belonged to him. 

Didn’t they? 

He slowly extended one hand and brushed the tips of his fingers against the device – it was black and touching it brought flickers of thoughts that terrified him. Rage colored most of them, a rage that didn’t feel like a part of him. 

Or maybe it did. He wasn’t sure. It felt right and wrong all at the same time and he wasn’t sure of what to think about it. The rage was more of a memory instead of something he felt. He remembered being furious about so much, hating everyone that he saw, and yet he couldn’t remember why. Why had he hated them? Why had he always been so angry? 

Slowly his fingers slipped around the device, while he picked the rectangular object up and stared at it. It was pink and there was a design on it that he thought he should recognize and yet he didn’t. 

A stranger in his own skin. A visitor in his own home. He knew that he belonged here; this was where he lived with his parents. But he didn’t _feel_ like he belonged here. None of this felt right. 

He’d been somewhere. He’d picked up that much from his parents – he’d run away or gone somewhere and they hadn’t known where he was for months. They’d tried to ask, with gentle voices, where he’d gone, and apologized so much for what they’d done before. But he couldn’t be angry with them. He was too tired. 

Not the exhaustion that kept him asleep those days after he returned from where he’d been before, wherever that was. But something else altogether. He didn’t think he’d be angry with anyone else ever again. Being angry took up so much energy and he didn’t have that anymore. 

_I wish I could tell them where I’ve been. I wish I knew where I’d been._ He turned the two items over in his hands. They had to mean something to him. Only right now, he didn’t have the faintest idea on what. 

The device began to glow. Ken jerked back, eyes widening and mouth opening. At the same moment, his computer turned itself on. He glanced toward the screen, confused, but he only had time enough to realize there was some sort of strange program starting up before the light enveloped him and he couldn’t see anything else. 

Movement. He moved, without wanting to. He gripped both device and item hard in his hands. They were all that he had, even if he didn’t know why he had them, and he wasn’t going to give them up. 

When the light cleared and he could see again, he hadn’t the faintest idea of where he was. It looked as if he were inside. There were walls a distance away – the room was, or had been, pretty large. A chair was in front of him, but it had been thrown to one side. He slowly turned around and blinked when he saw a setup of monitors there. They were all cracked and broken, and when he looked harder, one of them had fallen to the floor. 

In the very depths of his soul, where the ashes of that rage glowed and burned, something hissed. This had been his. It was what he’d had that was his and only his and someone had destroyed it. 

But he could not bring himself to do anything other than stare at it, because just the memories of that rage made him want to sink to his knees and scream. Wherever this place was, it wasn’t where he wanted to be. 

So he started to walk. There was an exit in one of the walls and he made his way there, carefully peering outward. The whole area was unnaturally quiet. It didn’t feel right. Images too vague and disconnected to be called memories told him that there should have been other noises. But what made those noises? 

He didn’t know. Would he ever know? Would he ever get back the memories of where he’d been all this time? 

Carefully he made his way through the halls he found outside, his feet taking him without asking or needing directions from his brain. In due course – perhaps half an hour or so – he found himself outside. A desert stretched in all directions and when he looked behind himself, he could see that he’d emerged from what looked to be a crashed ship of some kind. 

_The fortress,_ a passing thought murmured, falling away to be momentarily replaced by, _my fortress_. It faded as fast as the first one had, and Ken hurried away. He wanted his memories back. This place held some of them – memories that he wanted nothing at all to do with. 

He spied a flash of green in the distance and headed that way. He wasn’t sure of why. It just seemed better to go there than to wander off into the desert without any water. 

Ken wasn’t sure if he wanted to go home. Not just yet, anyway. Going back wouldn’t return any of his memories. He’d spent a couple of days with his parents and he was fairly sure he liked them. They seemed like good people. He vaguely recalled what it had been like before. He remembered Osamu and the fact that his brother had - 

That he flinched away from. He knew it. He couldn’t have _not_ known it. But he didn’t want to think about it. So instead he looked around and tried to figure out where he was. 

This was where he’d been. He could not have explained how he knew, but it could only be true. A place different from any other. A place that conjured up faint memories of riding through it on some kind of fierce creature, its fierceness tamed to his will somehow. 

Another image flickered – a simple ring with circuit lines on it. Then, a more complex image: a spiral. Both were crafted of the same metal. Ken shuddered merely at the thought and wished he could wipe _those_ memories away. 

Some things, he determined, should not be remembered. 

Above him rose the trees, tall and green – and sometimes other colors, such as purple and blue and shades of red and orange – with leaves of varying size and shapes covering the area. He could spy a few things that he thought were fruits but he didn’t reach for them. One, he thought, would be poisonous. Another didn’t taste good, not to him. 

How did he know those things? He must have learned it when he was here before. 

Perhaps he’d have another flicker of a thought? Another faint image that he might not fully understand? 

Only he didn’t. Nothing at all. Only the slow realization of the existence of a deep hole in the center of himself, a hole that swallowed every emotion except unending confusion and a sorrow that he feared learning the reason for. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** I wrote this as a late gift for KrazieKat/healingmichiko. Also, the story is finished and so I will update it regularly every week.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** What’s In A Name  
**Characters:** Ken, Wormmon  
**Chapters:** Two|| **Words:** 1,230|| **Total:** 2,437  
**Genre:** Drama, Friendship|| **Rated:** G  
**Challenges:** Diversity Writing, Digimon Adventure 02, canon: H10, 6+ chapters; Digimon Partners Boot Camp, Ken & Wormmon, #36, absolution; Include The Word Boot Camp,#26, alike; Character Diversity Boot Camp, #24, regroup (Ken)  
**Notes:** This is a bit of a rewrite/behind the scenes concerning Ken & Wormmon’s reunion and Wormmon’s first evolution to Stingmon.  
**Summary:** Ken’s no longer the Kaiser. It’s a new beginning, for him and for Wormmon.

* * *

Ken wasn’t sure of how long he walked. It didn’t feel as if it had been for very long. He didn’t have a watch or any other way to keep track of time. The sun shifted a bit closer to the horizon, so he guessed it had been at least an hour or so. He guessed. 

But the farther he walked, the thicker the trees grew, until without warning they thinned out and he saw an entirely different vista spreading out before him. He took another step, exiting the woods, and the ground underneath his feet changed. 

Before, it had felt like normal ground. A little bumpy, somewhat soft. Now it was – bouncy. Extremely soft; if he’d fallen here, he wouldn’t be hurt at all. He frowned, stepping backwards and then forwards, wanting to be sure that he was right. He was. The ground simply changed. 

That wasn’t all of it. All around he saw large blocks set up on one another, and in the distance, little homes or shelters. He wasn’t close enough to see what they were. Tiny figures moved around there as well. They didn’t seem to have noticed him, and Ken realized that he didn’t want them to have. 

He looked around more carefully. There were eggs everywhere. Not little chicken eggs for eating, but large and with designs on them. Along with eggs he saw cradles scattered about, and in those cradles were tiny – creatures. 

Ken moved forward to look at one of them, his heart thumping. All the way here he’d felt like there were eyes on him, that someone watched him and no one wanted to get close to him. Eyes filled with a mixture of fear and terror and hatred. Hatred more than anything else. 

But nothing had ever come out where he could see them and he’d tried his best to brush it off. Whatever he’d done, it couldn’t have been that bad, could it? What could he have done that would be so awful? 

_The ring. The spiral. Unknown numbers of Rings and Spirals, soaring through the air._

_Tall spires of black metal, marking his territory wherever he walked._

_“If you see this Spire, then you know that this is my territory, where I rule. You all belong to me.”_

_Eyes staring at him, a few with defiance, that transformed into red-eyed enslavement with little more than a flick of his wrist._

Ken’s throat closed up. Oh. Oh, no. Those memories didn’t fade, now that they were back. Those and a thousand more surged and jostled together, each wanting the chance to race to the front of his mind and terrify him all over again. 

“What are you doing here?” A tiny sharp voice demanded. Ken dragged himself out of the sudden grip of memory to stare around. The voice came from one of the cradles, or from one of the creatures in the cradles. 

A Digimon. That was what this was. These were Digimon – and he’d been the Digimon Kaiser. He’d conquered untold areas of the Digital World, ruthlessly crushing any resistance, enslaving every Digimon that he could, just _because_ he could. 

And somehow he was alive. He didn’t deserve to be, but he was. 

“Hey! Aren’t you going to answer?” Another voice, a bit higher, came from the other side. Another of the baby Digimon. 

Ken swallowed. “I-I’m sorry.” 

The first one – Yuramon, the tatters of his memory told him – glared as if Ken had caused great personal offense. Perhaps he had. “That doesn’t change anything! You’re the _Digimon Kaiser_!” Something so young, so small, so helpless, shouldn’t have been able to contain that much hatred. Only it did, and every bit of it was directed at Ken. 

“But – I know,” Ken murmured, wrapping his arms about himself. Oh, he knew. He knew now. He’d done horrible unforgivable things, and he’d planned even more to come. But he’d failed. He’d been defeated – not just because of the Chosen, but because of – because of… 

Ken’s legs couldn’t support him. He crashed down to his knees, gripping his head, all of the memories now surging back into him. They’d been there all along. He’d just not paid attention to them, wanted to avoid what he’d done, not to think about it at all. 

Only he couldn’t do that. He couldn’t escape from what he’d done and he would do _anything_ at all in order to make up for it in any way. 

If dying would do that, then he’d happily do so. But would it? For all of his genius, for all that he’d learned, he didn’t know. He didn’t know if anything could ever make up for it. 

The second one that spoke – a Poromon – eyed him carefully. “You don’t know us, do you?” 

Ken slowly shook his head. “I don’t know anything. Not entirely true. He knew who he was and he could not forget again what he’d done. But who they were? Where he was? That, he didn’t know. 

Yuramon puffed in annoyance. “Of course you don’t. You didn’t even care when you killed us.” 

Ken’s heart spasmed. “I- I killed you?” He remembered – he remembered casually striking down Digimon and seeing their data fade away. He’d never asked – or cared – what happened to it after that. Those who were dead never came back. He’d always known that. So why should he care about little bits of insignificant data? 

Or so he’d thought. He wanted to go back and slap himself repeatedly now. How could anyone exist near him and not want to slap him for how much of a fool he’d been? 

Yuramon glowered. “You don’t remember. But I do! I was a Floramon that you put one of those stupid Evil Rings on!” Yuramon quivered in rage. “I brought you breakfast for weeks, until you got mad at the Chosen breaking one of your Spires and whipped me until I died!” 

Ken paled, trembling, and shook his head. He wasn’t denying it – he even thought he remembered that. But to think he’d been so petty, so cruel, so _evil_! 

“I was one of the DeviDramon that you rode around on,” Poromon said. “Then you picked a different one as your favorite and had me killed in your arena.” 

Ken hadn’t eaten before he came here. He’d had almost no appetite. Now he didn’t think he’d ever eat again, not when it might come back up just at the thought of what he’d done. 

“I died when that monster of yours attacked our village,” a Punimon told him. Ken swallowed, sinking down farther. How many lives had he ruined, how many people – for Digimon _were_ people – had he killed and not cared in the slightest about? 

He knew the answer. Perhaps not a number, but the answer was simple. 

Too many. Far, far too many. 

“You don’t belong here. This is a safe place!” Yuramon declared, bouncing out of their cradle and away as fast as they could hop. “I’m getting help!” 

Ken wasn’t going to argue that. He would have left, if his legs would have carried him. And if another thought hadn't occurred to him. 

“If I killed you – then how are you alive?” 

This time it was a Nyokimon who answered. “Because all Digimon who die are reborn here – in the Village of Beginnings.” 

Ken forgot how to breathe. “A-all Digimon?” Even … 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Next chapter is going to be fun!


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** What’s In A Name  
**Characters:** Ken, Wormmon  
**Chapters:** Three|| **Words:** 1,208|| **Total:** 3,645  
**Genre:** Drama, Friendship|| **Rated:** G  
**Challenges:** Diversity Writing, Digimon Adventure 02, canon: H10, 6+ chapters; Digimon Partners Boot Camp, Ken & Wormmon, #36, absolution; Include The Word Boot Camp,#26, alike; Character Diversity Boot Camp, #24, regroup (Ken);  
**Notes:** This is a bit of a rewrite/behind the scenes concerning Ken & Wormmon’s reunion and Wormmon’s first evolution to Stingmon.  
**Summary:** Ken’s no longer the Kaiser. It’s a new beginning, for him and for Wormmon.

* * *

Words choked in Ken’s throat. What they said couldn't be true. But – Digimon weren’t human. Humans didn’t come back from being dead. He’d _always_ known that. He’d seen himself in the mirror and seen a reflection of his brother, but deep down, he knew it wasn’t true. He was just mimicking Osamu in as many ways as he could. 

Not very well, either. Osamu hadn’t been nearly as bad of a person as he was. Osamu wouldn’t have done what he did. Even when he was stern and didn’t want Ken touching what was his, he hadn’t hurt other people. He just _hadn’t_. 

But Ken had. Ken went out of his way to hurt others, telling himself that they didn’t matter, they weren’t real, and he could do whatever he wanted, and if anyone tried to stop him, then _they_ were wrong. 

Oh, that almost made him want to laugh now, if it didn’t want to make him cry. A thousand emotions crowded themselves into his heart. He couldn’t have named a single one of them, aside from the yawning gulf of guilt and the screaming need to somehow make up for it, to undo all that he’d done. 

“Wormmon,” he whispered. Perhaps that would be a place to start. “Is Wormmon here?” 

Punimon stared at him suspiciously. “Why do you want to see him? Do you really think he’d want to see you again?” 

Ken swallowed. He trembled and closed his eyes, hot tears streaking down his cheeks. “No. No, he won’t.” He wanted Wormmon to want to see him again. Only why would he? Wormmon fought to overthrow him. He’d helped the Chosen and then he’d given his last energy to bring down Ken’s own nightmare creation. He’d died to open Ken’s eyes. 

It worked. Ken’s eyes hadn’t just been opened, his heart had been as well. Ripped open, bleeding, torn to shreds, and he’d deserved every second of it. 

“You’re right!” A tiny black Botamon declared. “Wormmon wouldn’t want anything to do with you! No one ever should! All you do is hurt people!” 

Ken thought he wanted to say this was wrong. Even in Wormmon’s death he’d done his best to help Ken. But some of that wasn’t wrong. All he _had_ done was hurt people. So many people – humans and Digimon alike. 

_What I id to Motomiya alone..._ And the plans he’d had if he’d ever actually captured Motomiya Daisuke on a long-term basis – which he knew he could have, if he’d ever decided to _do_ it. The Chosen hadn't known where his fortress was or that it flew. It would have been so _easy_ and he’d just never gotten around to it. Building his personal Digimon took all of his attention. 

That was probably for the best. If Motomiya was _smart_ he’d stay far from from Ken for the rest of forever. So would everyone else. 

But – he wanted Wormmon. He wanted to stare into those blue eyes and her that soft voice and know that just once, he hadn't done something unforgivable, that someone he cared about _lived_. That he wasn’t going to kill people forever. 

Footsteps sounded and Ken slowly dragged his head up, blinking his eyes open. Yuramon bounced towards him, a determined expression on his tiny face. Beside him there strode a tall figure – a Digimon, of course. This one resembled a great cat, a lion, wearing pants and with a sword carried on his back. Ken blinked a few times. This creature looked more than strong enough to tear him apart with their bare claws, and if he’d still been the Kaiser, he would have gone out of his way to put an Evil Ring on him as soon as he could. 

“There he is, Leomon! That’s the Kaiser! Get rid of him!” Yuramon declared, bouncing fiercely. “Get him! Get him!” 

Leomon stared down at Ken. His eyes were very blue and very kind – so much like Wormmon’s that once again Ken’s throat closed up and he tried in vain to wipe the tears from his cheeks. They just kept coming even when he did. 

“You were the Digimon Kaiser.” Leomon’s voice was deep and rumbling. It felt good to listen to. Ken nodded slowly, not quite daring to raise his head. He managed to look at Leomon by darting his head up for a few seconds, then dropping it down again. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispered softly. “I was wrong. I was so wrong.” Would those tears never stop? He didn’t know. They couldn’t wash away the past. “I just – I want to make it go away. I want to fix things. I want – I want Wormmon back.” 

A heavy paw-hand rested on his shoulder and now Ken managed to drag his head up all the way, to see those warm blue eyes staring down at him. 

“Is that really what you want?” 

“Yes. I can’t stand knowing what I did.” Ken sniffled. “Please, where’s Wormmon? Do you have his – his egg?” Oh, he wanted to apologize so _much_ and he didn’t think that there would ever be words enough. 

“If his egg is here in the Village of Beginnings, and if he truly is your partner, then you can find him.” Leomon tilted his head and considered Ken for a few moments. “Do you have your Digivice? Or your Crest?” 

“Crest?” Ken tasted the word. It felt a bit familiar, though despite all the memories of cruelty and harshness that surged through his head, he couldn’t pin it down. What was a Crest? He knew what a Digivice was; he stared down at the one he held. Black and corrupted, but more inert than anything. 

If he’d really wanted to, he could have started it all again. Prevented every Digimon from evolving and begun to raise his empire from the ashes. But the fire that raged inside of him remained nothing but coals and whatever rose from them wouldn’t be that rage. 

If this crest, whatever it was, could help him find Wormmon, then he wanted it. He would do whatever he could. 

Wormmon had once told him to be kind – he’d forgotten that for so long. After that trip to the strange surging ocean where he’d transformed the old Digivice to what he had now, he hadn’t cared any more about being kind. It felt so weak to be kind. Being kind just made other people hurt. 

So he would be evil. So he would keep them all under his control and no one would die for real because they _weren’t_ real. It didn’t matter. It had never mattered. 

_I was such an idiot._

The ashes in his heart stirred. What stirred this time wasn’t rage. It wasn’t even the endless sorrow. But the desire to change things. To change himself. To atone for his past by being the person Wormmon wanted him to be. 

To be kind again. 

To be the Chosen of Kindness. 

He hadn’t seen that small rectangular item since he’d first arrived in this world. Now a soft pink glow shimmered from his shirt pocket and he drew it out, eyes rounding at the sight. 

“Yes,” Leomon said in approval. “That is your Crest. And it can guide you to Wormmon.” 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** I considered having Ken meet Elecmon but I decided Leomon was probably more of what he needed. More of them later.


	4. Chapter 4

**Title:** What’s In A Name  
**Characters:** Ken, Wormmon  
**Chapters:** Four|| **Words:** 1,240|| **Total:** 4,885  
**Genre:** Drama, Friendship|| **Rated:** G  
**Challenges:** Diversity Writing, Digimon Adventure 02, canon: H10, 6+ chapters; Digimon Partners Boot Camp, Ken & Wormmon, #36, absolution; Include The Word Boot Camp,#26, alike; Character Diversity Boot Camp, #24, regroup (Ken);  
**Notes:** This is a bit of a rewrite/behind the scenes concerning Ken & Wormmon’s reunion and Wormmon’s first evolution to Stingmon.  
**Summary:** Ken’s no longer the Kaiser. It’s a new beginning, for him and for Wormmon.

* * *

Ken’s heart leaped. “It can…?” His fingers shivered as he stared down at the Crest. Then his eyes jerked upward and he stared at the spread of eggs before him. Was one of those – he couldn’t fully wrap his head around it, but he wanted it to be true so very much. 

“I believe it can. Crests and their Chosen and partners are all tied together.” Leomon stared down at him. At least Ken thought he did. He was too busy trying to find what could be Wormmon’s egg. 

Yuramon jumped up and down, glaring hard at Ken. “Make him go away, Leomon! He doesn’t deserve to be a Chosen! He doesn’t deserve Wormmon!” 

“Of course I don’t!” Ken sputtered. “No one could be good enough for Wormmon. Everything I did – everything I _didn’t_ do that I should have – and he still tried his best to help me, and all I did was yell at him and hit him! And he still tried to help to the very end.” 

Tears seared down his cheeks yet again. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever strop crying. Every tear flowed from some deep inner part of himself – that vast emptiness that he had no name for – and it had no bottom to it. 

“Why do you want to find him?” Leomon asked. Ken sniffled and dragged his arm over his eyes, still searching for one egg. How would he even know which of them could be Wormmon’s? They were all different, but how? 

“Because I was wrong. Because he was right. And I want to tell him that.” Ken dragged in a breath. “I want to be who he wanted me to be.” 

The Crest of Kindness began to shimmer. Ken stared down at it, then again searched the eggs. Slowly he took a few steps forward and Leomon allowed it. Yuramon kept on grumbling, but that didn’t mean anything to Ken. He clung harder to the memories that stirred deep within him. 

Wormmon died to show him the truth. Wormmon believed in him, no matter what. He’d gone along with what Ken did as the Kaiser just in the barest hopes that Ken would one day realize his errors. 

_I won’t forget again, Wormmon,_ he promised. _I’ll do what I can to make up for what I’ve done. I’ll never fall again, I swear._

The Crest’s glow grew stronger with every breath and from up ahead there came a matching glow. Ken stumbled towards it, vaguely aware of Leomon following, more by the sense of his presence than by the non-existent sounds of his paws. What Leomon wanted, Ken wasn’t sure. But he knew what he wanted, and he all but collapsed next to an egg that glowed the same shade of pink as the Crest in his hands. 

_If dying is the only way I can make up for what I did, I’d be glad to do it. But if I died, Wormmon would miss me. I think he’s the only one who really would. But would dying – would it really help?_ It probably wouldn’t. Dying meant an end – it would be what he deserved, but it wouldn’t be good enough. 

Only one thing held a chance to be good enough – to live and fight to fix the damage that he’d done. He alone knew _all_ of it, and he wasn’t even sure if he’d remembered it all. Most of it was a blue of rage and destruction that once seethed in his veins. 

Ken rested a hand on the glowing egg. “Wormmon?” He murmured softly, and the egg, covered in hearts, twitched under his touch. Then there was a _pop_ and the egg itself vanished, turning into a tiny cradle. Set in the middle of the cradle was a strange, small green creature, a bit of green with a sort of leaf curled over it’s head. “Wormmon??” 

“Ken-chan,” a soft, sweet voice spoke, and again those tears spilled. It was and wasn’t Wormmon’s voice. “It’s me, Leafmon. I’m Wormmon’s baby form.” 

Oh. He thought he remembered someone having mentioned how Digimon grew – from eggs into babies and eventually to Adults and Perfects. So this would become Wormmon again one day. He held out his arms and Leafmon leaped towards him at once. 

“I’m so sorry,” he wept, cuddling the little creature. “You were right and I was wrong all this time. It was all real – and I was such an idiot. I promise, I won’t ever do that again.” He’d already told himself that, but saying it to Leafmon made it feel more real, as if he’d taken a vow of some kind. 

He had, he decided. He vowed this and nothing would make him break it. 

Leafmon purred against him. “I know you won’t, Ken-chan.” Oh, he’d heard that before and he’d never thought he would hear it again. 

Then Wormmon looked past him to where Leomon stood and his eyes grew wider and rounded. “You’re _big_!” 

Leomon chuckled softly as he reached down to rest one hand on Leafmon’s head. Ken gulped; Leomon’s hand covered Leafmon to the point he couldn’t even see his partner now. 

“Welcome back, Leafmon,” Leomon rumbled. Then he glanced at Ken again. “You wish to atone for your wrongdoings?” 

Ken lowered his head. “More than anything.” He would have gone back in time to stop himself from ever being the Kaiser in the first place if he could. With that not a possibility – well, he’d do what he could. 

He swallowed. “Is there anything that I can do?” He had ideas. The spires had to come down. He wasn’t sure if all of the captive Digimon had been freed or not. They probably wouldn’t obey him anymore but some of them might still have Rings or Spirals on. And – and there were a few Digimon he’d never needed to enslave, because they _wanted_ to work for whoever the ruler of the Digital World was. 

Assuming they didn’t want to be the ruler themselves. 

“A great deal. You are not the only person to have made mistakes. Don’t ever underestimate your own ability to fix what you’ve done wrong.” Leomon offered a warm chuckle. “I could introduce you to someone who made mistakes of his own and has done his best to recover. Though if you asked him, he hasn’t changed at all. But he has. A great deal.” 

“Ogremon's the best!” Half a dozen babies babbled. “He’s big and strong and amazing and he brings us food!” 

“He also hasn’t yet learned proper hygiene,” Leomon muttered. Then he smiled. “But I think meeting him can be for another day.” 

Ken couldn’t deny a bit of interest. But with Leafmon in his arms, he was more than a little aware of how exhausted he really was. Not the draining sleep of before as he tried to put himself back together, but a bone-deep exhaustion from all the emotions he’d run through in the last – how long had he been there? He needed to go home. His parents were going to be worried about him. 

For the first time in he couldn't actually remember when, that mattered to him. He’d not cared about them being worried for years. He’d not cared to the point he’d simply left that world entirely in order to not deal with them. 

And – he was hungry. Very hungry. 

“Come on, Leafmon,” he murmured. “Leomon’s right. We need to go home.” 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Oh, look, we’re half done!


	5. Chapter 5

**Title:** What’s In A Name  
**Characters:** Ken, Wormmon  
**Chapters:** Five|| **Words:** 1,214|| **Total:** 6,099  
**Genre:** Drama, Friendship|| **Rated:** G  
**Challenges:** Diversity Writing, Digimon Adventure 02, canon: H10, 6+ chapters; Digimon Partners Boot Camp, Ken & Wormmon, #36, absolution; Include The Word Boot Camp,#26, alike; Character Diversity Boot Camp, #24, regroup (Ken);  
**Notes:** This is a bit of a rewrite/behind the scenes concerning Ken & Wormmon’s reunion and Wormmon’s first evolution to Stingmon.  
**Summary:** Ken’s no longer the Kaiser. It’s a new beginning, for him and for Wormmon.

* * *

Leafmon peered around Ken-chan’s room. He wasn’t sure what to expect; this place was very different from the Digital World. This wasn’t anything like what Ken-chan had as the Kaiser, and he knew right away that he liked it. While the place was clean and organized, it didn’t have the rigid lines and restraint the fortress had possessed. The bed looked comfortable, even if it wasn’t the wide king size bed Ken-chan had there. Leafmon couldn’t wait to snuggle in there with his partner. 

Ken-chan might even _let_ him snuggle there. When he’d been younger, before the Kaiser, Ken-chan eagerly snuggled with him. Leafmon could hardly wait for that to happen again. 

What it also had that the fortress hadn’t was the soft murmur of other voices. Leafmon bounced over to the door and listened in silently. So those were Ken-chan’s parents. From what he could see of them they looked like nice people. He wondered if he’d ever get to know them. He vaguely recalled stories that Digimon had to hide when they were in the human world. He would have to ask about that. 

Ken and his parents moved away from the door and Leafmon couldn’t see them anymore. They were still talking, though, so he didn’t worry that he’d been forgotten. He knew that Ken had changed – it practically glowed from him – but he remembered everything about the Kaiser so very clearly. It would take time for what had changed to sink into him. 

Slowly he worked his way around the room, trying to learn it. This was a part of Ken he’d never seen before. He knew the gentle boy that he’d first met long ago and he knew the cruel Kaiser – and he wanted to know the Ken of now, and help him deal with everything that had happened. 

_I have things to make up for too. I could have tried harder to stop him sooner. I could have left him – I could have told the Chosen about the fortress from the very beginning._ While Ken did a lot, Leafmon wasn’t going to shy away from his own guilt. Whatever Ken did to make up for it, Leafmon would do as well. 

The door swung open and Ken entered, closing it behind him. Leafmon glanced over to see him with a tray of food in his hands. He blinked, only now realizing exactly how hungry he really was. Being reformatted was _work_ and he hadn’t had a proper meal in too long. 

“Leafmon?” Ken looked until he saw him and stepped closer, smiling. “I thought you might be hungry.” 

Leafmon wiggled for a second before he launched himself at Ken. “I’m starving!” He bounced and wriggled, landing on the table with the computer. “Are we going to eat together?” Oh, he’d longed for that. So many times ken had eaten either in front of the monitors or in the cold dining area, and all Leafmon – Wormmon at the time – had been able to do was watch. 

Ken settled the tray on the table and sat down. “If what’s what you want. My mom made all of this. Do you see anything that you like?” 

Leafmon checked it out. “I like all of it!” He wasn’t even sure of what to call most of it. It just looked and smelled fantastic. Ken picked up something that he did recognize – a steamed bun – and offered it to him. Leafmon gulped it down in moments, while Ken slowly ate some of it himself. 

Far too soon every scrap of food had been eaten. Leafmon leaned against Ken, who rested one hand on him. Leafmon could have blissfully reformatted all over again from that alone. Something did seem different – he vibrated with a deep energy that he’d never felt before. 

Then with a sudden _pop_ , something changed and the world looked a bit different. In point of fact, he looked down to realize that _he_ looked very different – less puddle of green, more of an acorn. 

“Leafmon?” Ken stared down at him. “What – what happened Are you all right?” 

He looked down at himself again, realizing in a breath what happened. “I’m fine! I just evolved, that’s all. It happens to baby Digimon when we get a good meal, sometimes.” 

Ken blinked a few times before a warm smile touched onto his lips. “All right. I forgot you could do that.” He tilted his head, giving his partner a look. “You have a different name now, don’t you?” 

Nodding wasn’t that easy now. Instead he bounced up and down gleefully. “I’m Minomon now!” It had been a long time since he’d been in this form before – since before he’d met Ken the first time. He considered, bouncing a little more. “When I evolve again, I’ll be Wormmon!” 

Ken’s smile grew a touch warmer at that. “I look forward to seeing you like that again.” 

Minomon leaned against Ken. “So do I.” He’d been Wormmon for so long that it felt like the proper shape to be in. Most Digimon felt like that when they stayed in a given evolution for any length of time. At least he thought so – he’d never had the chance to ask the ones who could evolve at the drop of a hat. 

_Maybe I can now._ Would they work with the Chosen? Or even talk to them? He wasn’t sure of if he should ask. Everything was just so new right now that he didn’t want to make Ken sad for even a second. 

But it didn’t seem to matter right now. Ken took the tray back outside, and while he did that, Minomon floated about the room. He stared at the books and the computer, then wandered over to the door that led to the balcony. It was cracked open and he peeked outside. 

This world didn’t just look different from the Digital World, it smelled that way too. He wasn’t sure if he liked the smells but perhaps they just took getting used to. 

“What are you looking at?” Ken asked, coming up behind him. Minomon wriggled. 

“It looks nice out there,” he said. “Can we sit out there, Ken-chan? Please?” 

Ken hesitated, but only for a few seconds. He pushed the door open all the way and headed out there, Minomon joining him. Ken settled on a small bench and Minomon floated down to rest in his lap. 

There was a pleasant warmth out here, and lots of noises that Minomon didn’t understand, but didn’t feel threatened by. Being in Ken’s lap meant that he was safe, no matter what. He still couldn’t fully wrap his head around that, but he liked thinking about it. He would get used to it, he knew. He had a lot of time ahead of him to do so. 

He sighed a deep, happy sigh. A week before he’d been in the Digital World, kicked and abused by the Digimon Kaiser, never treated kindly for so much as a second. Now he was in the human world, sitting in his partner’s lap, the Kaiser a fading memory. 

So much had changed in just that brief span of time. Minomon looked forward to seeing what else was going to change, and how much of it would be for the better. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Probably going to skip the part where Archnemon steals stuff off Ken’s computer and go to the next important plot point: Wormmon and Stingmon! Also, the fic’s almost over.


	6. Chapter 6

**Title:** What’s In A Name  
**Characters:** Ken, Wormmon  
**Chapters:** Six|| **Words:** 1,260|| **Total:** 7,359  
**Genre:** Drama, Friendship|| **Rated:** G  
**Challenges:** Diversity Writing, Digimon Adventure 02, canon: H10, 6+ chapters; Digimon Partners Boot Camp, Ken & Wormmon, #36, absolution; Include The Word Boot Camp,#26, alike; Character Diversity Boot Camp, #24, regroup (Ken);  
**Notes:** This is a bit of a rewrite/behind the scenes concerning Ken & Wormmon’s reunion and Wormmon’s first evolution to Stingmon.  
**Summary:** Ken’s no longer the Kaiser. It’s a new beginning, for him and for Wormmon.

* * *

Ken didn’t get back to sleep after the strange woman vanished. He wanted to – he had school in the morning – but no matter how he laid there with his eyes closed, a thousand images and a thousand words rippled through his mind. That strange e-mail that he’d received so long ago. The words that she’d said calling him useless. 

Minomon snuggled up against him. “Are you all right, Ken-chan?” 

“I’m fine,” he murmured. He wasn’t exactly lying. He felt fine, if a little tired from everything that happened recently. His parents weren’t urging him to go back to school but he sort of wanted to. He wanted a normal life, as best he could have one, and that included going to school. 

Could he take Minomon with him? Would Minomon want to go? It would surely be boring just sitting around in the bedroom all day, wouldn’t it? 

Did the other – did the Chosen taken their partners with them? He vaguely recalled having seen them at that soccer game. 

A tiny twitch deep inside urged him to talk to them. To apologize for everything he’d done, tried to do, and wanted to do. He couldn’t even imagine looking Motomiya in the face anymore. Of them all, he’d hurt that boy the most. He could not at all forget what it was like to have him unconscious at his feet that first time. It had felt so _good_ and he’d been so tempted to just take him to the fortress and keep him there. 

_I didn’t. I won’t. I never will._ His logic on not having done so had been sound, at least by his standards then. He’d not lived in the Digital World full-time. It would have been more trouble than it was worth to keep someone there. 

As if his mind wanted to torment him even more, he recalled another point – when he’d insisted on Motomiya kneeling before him and begging him. That had been far, far closer than Motomiya possibly realized. He’d been perfectly capable of having the real Chosen dangling there in front of Deltamon. He’d only not done so because the twisted humor of having his enemy humble himself on account of fakes appealed to him. 

His stomach twisted again and he shuddered, turning over to grip his pillow. This wasn’t going to be a good night. Not if every thought and deed he’d ever done came back to haunt him. 

_But I can’t forget. I have to make up for all of it. I might be worthless, but I can at least do that much._

Minomon snuggled against him again, tiny and warm and soothing, and Ken tried his best to relax. What _had_ she wanted? She’d been doing something to his computer. 

Wait. Ken jerked up and Minomon squeaked a little in surprise. Ken soothed him with a touch before he jumped down to the floor and hurried over to the computer. If she’d – had she - 

“Ken-chan?” Minomon questioned, hovering by his shoulder as Ken booted it up and waited, worrying at his lip. “What's wrong?” 

“She did something to my computer,” Ken told him. “I want to know what it was. If she – if she took the Gate-” He had to be able to get back to the Digital World. His plans for restitution were thin and uncertain but he knew that he _needed_ to be able to get there. If he couldn’t, he had no idea of what he’d do next. 

_Talk to the Chosen. Ask their help._

Ken shuddered at the thought. It made sense. But he didn’t deserve help like that and he doubted they’d trust him that much anyway. They had no reason to. He didn’t know if he trusted himself that much. He didn’t know if he’d ever trust himself that much again. 

But he didn’t have to worry about it, at least not yet. The tiny icon that marked the Digital Gate was still there, and a quick click showed that nothing had changed. Whatever she’d done, it wouldn’t keep him from going back there. 

Ken sagged down into his chair and stared at the computer screen. “So if that wasn’t it,” he muttered, “then what was it?” 

Minomon came to rest in his lap. “Are we going to the Digital World? It’s really late.” 

Ken shook his head. “I have to figure out what she did. But – we can go tomorrow? If you like?” 

“Sure!” Minomon brightened up. “Maybe we can find a way to get rid of some of the Towers?” 

That did sound like a good idea. Those things were the most widespread mark of the Kaiser’s rule and Ken couldn’t stand the sight of them. He frowned; was there a way that he could destroy them all at once? He’d used his D3 to send a signal through them all at the same time, keeping Digimon from evolving. Could he change that? 

It felt like he could. It couldn’t be that difficult, could it? He’d been able to do almost anything he wanted to with the Towers – they’d also served as his spy system, if he didn’t have a particular Ringed or Spiraled Digimon there. Without him there keeping the effects going, the Towers were just piles of metal now. No, or very few, defenses. Perhaps - 

His hands moved without him telling them to, searching for the files he kept here about his work. Right in that file there - 

The file wasn’t there. Ken stared, frowning, then double checked, searching harder and harder. 

“It’s not there,” he whispered. The realization dawned cold and hard. “That’s what she did. She took everything about the Towers – and I think the Rings and Spirals too.” All of the work that he’d developed. He’d never want to use it for that purpose again, but he could have used it now to destroy it all. Only it was gone. 

Two weeks ago he could have replicated it all from memory. The knowledge of how to manipulate the Digital World’s data flowed alongside of his blood. Now he wondered if he could even do something as simple as create a new file. He slumped down over the computer, resting his head in his hands, trembling. 

_What can I do now?_

Minomon poked him gently. “You should go back to bed. If the gate’s there, then we can go to the Digital World tomorrow after school. Then we can find her. She has to be there.” 

Oh. Right. She was clearly related to the Digital World somehow. He wasn’t sure of how, but it made sense. Either she was a Digimon in disguise or a human who had access. It made more sense than anything he’d come up with on his own. 

He closed down the computer and headed back to bed, Minomon bobbing worriedly at his side. He’d been a little worried about going back to school. Now that didn’t seem nearly as much of a problem as whatever it was the strange woman could do with the information she’d stolen. And why _steal_ it in the first place? She could have just copied it. She didn’t need to take it away from him altogether. 

Or maybe she did – because if he had it, then he could undo whatever it was that she had in mind to do. She was protecting herself and whatever her plans were. 

Plans that he dedicated himself to stopping. He’d been a threat to the Digital World. He wasn’t going to let anyone else do what he’d done – or worse. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Yes, that was a hint of Ken x Daisuke. Did you expect something else from me?


	7. Chapter 7

**Title:** What’s In A Name  
**Characters:** Ken, Wormmon  
**Chapters:** Seven|| **Words:** 1,254|| **Total:** 8,613  
**Genre:** Drama, Friendship|| **Rated:** G  
**Challenges:** Diversity Writing, Digimon Adventure 02, canon: H10, 6+ chapters; Digimon Partners Boot Camp, Ken & Wormmon, #36, absolution; Include The Word Boot Camp,#26, alike; Character Diversity Boot Camp, #24, regroup (Ken)  
**Notes:** This is a bit of a rewrite/behind the scenes concerning Ken & Wormmon’s reunion and Wormmon’s first evolution to Stingmon.  
**Summary:** Ken’s no longer the Kaiser. It’s a new beginning, for him and for Wormmon.

* * *

Ken kept hold of Minomon as they crossed into the Digital World. Somewhere in between – he wasn’t certain of when – he could feel Minomon shifting in his arms, and when his vision cleared and he could see around himself, Wormmon snuggled up against him. 

His heart twisted, but in one of the better ways that he’d felt in such a very long time. Once again tears pricked his eyes. He’d never wept like this before. He slowly wiped his eyes dry and blinked at Wormmon. 

“Hello, Ken-chan,” Wormmon said, peeking up at him. Ken smiled, one of the first true smiles he remembered smiling in such a long time. 

“Hello, Wormmon,” Ken whispered back. He wasn’t sure if his legs would continue to hold him, so he settled down on a tree stump, still holding his partner. He knew that he needed to start looking for that strange woman, but he wanted to get himself better mentally organized first. 

Wormmon leaned into him. Ken closed his eyes and breathed in very deeply. 

“You called me Ken-chan,” he whispered. Wormmon had always done that. When he was younger it hadn’t struck him as odd. But now, after everything that he’d done, he couldn’t see where he deserved such an honorific. 

Wormmon nodded. “Does it bother you?” He tilted his head and Ken could feel Wormmon’s pods resting on his knees. “I can stop if it does.” 

“No!” Ken shook his head quickly. “You can call me anything you want.” Except those two words – but he didn’t think that Wormmon would ever want to call him that, regardless. He’d never liked calling him that in the first place. 

Wormmon tilted his head up and regarded Ken briefly. “Are we going to go find her?” 

Ken drew in a breath and pulled himself to his feet. He wasn’t as wobbly as he’d been. Then he took another look around. They hadn’t arrived in the ruined fortress this time, but in the depths of a forest. Whether this was because of what that strange woman had done or some other reason he wasn’t sure. But he knew they had to start somewhere. 

“Come on,” he said, and Wormmon at once jumped to the ground and followed him out of the woods. He looked from one side to the other as they walked, looking for any signs that might tell them more. 

He wasn’t sure of how long they’d walked before the trees began to thin out and he could see a deep blue sky overhead. He’d never stopped to appreciate how beautiful the Digital World could be before. Now he admired the sweep of sapphire overhead and wondered what it would be like to soar up there. 

“Ken-chan!” Wormmon’s yelp dragged his attention back to the present and he jumped aside with only a few scraps of time to spare before where he’d been standing blew up. He jerked around, worried more about Wormmon than himself, before he saw a figure that he wouldn’t have expected. 

He’d only seen Angemon on his monitors before. But here there stood one that if it wasn’t him, could have been his twin brother. For a few seconds, Ken thought it _was_ Takaishi Takeru’s partner. But then his eye began to pick out the little differences, mostly in the garments – red instead of Angemon’s blue. Not to mention that this Digmon glared at Ken with enough hatred to burn the universe itself. 

Wormmon threw himself in between Ken and the Digimon. “You leave Ken-chan alone!” 

Ken expected the same sort of thing that he’d experienced in the Village o Beginnings – insisting that it didn’t matter, that he could never make up for what he did, and that he’d somehow personally offended this Digimon. 

But the Digimon said nothing at all, only aimed the golden staff at him one more time, energy building up on the tip. Ken couldn’t find it in himself to move. He deserved this – he deserved this and so much more, and if he fell to a Holy Digimon, then all the better. It should have happened long ago… 

A blast of pure white energy erupted from the Rod and flew towards Ken. He squared up his shoulders and watched it. He knew he’d done next to nothing to deserve redemption, and he couldn’t bring himself to flee even though he wanted to so very much. 

“ _Wormmon evolve to Stingmon_!” 

A sweep of green fell in between him and the energy blast and the Digimon fell backward, attention flicking over to the new arrival. Ken blinked a few times, not sure of where this Digimon had come from or what it might want. He knew what he’d heard, but - 

“You’re not going to hurt Ken-chan,” the new arrival declared. He was tall and green, insectoid, and clearly a warrior ready to defend no matter the cost. 

Ken stared. He swallowed. Only one person ever called him that – especially one Digimon. 

“Wormmon,” he whispered. This was Wormmon. Wormmon had evolved to protect him. To protect _him_. 

If he’d ever seen Wormmon do this before, then he would never have even thought about creating that monstrosity. He could not imagine a better partner for himself than what he saw right there. 

“Stingmon now, Ken-chan,” the great warrior corrected. “Let me handle this.” Without another moment, Stingmon turned and flew at the not-quite-Angemon. Ken glanced down at his D-3 and saw a reading there. 

_Pidmon._ An Adult level Digimon, a Vaccine, similar to Angemon. But this one didn’t seem interested in talking at all. Fire-edged feathers flew towards Stingmon, as did strikes of the long staff. Stingmon darted aside effortlessly, then rose up behind Pidmon and extended one arm, his hand morphing into a long spike. 

“Spiking Finish!” Stingmon declared, blow catching Pidmon directly on the chest. Pidmon froze, and Ken’s heart leapt up to his throat. He’d never, ever wanted to kill another Digimon. But Stingmon – he had – he had - 

Pidmon’s color drained out of him, then everything seemed to fall off of him – hair and skin and clothing – leaving a shape behind that could only have been charitably called Pidmon. He recognized the sheen of what lay beneath, though. 

_A Spire. He was a Spire._ Ken swallowed. How had that happened? He’d never even thought of something like that. 

“Quite irritating,” a voice said, and he whirled, Stingmon coming down beside him, to see that strange woman in red standing a short distance away, her arms crossed over her chest. “It would have been better for everyone if you’d let my Pidmon destroy you.” 

“I won't let that happen!” Stingmon declared. “Who are you and what do you think you’re doing?” 

She sniffed, a scornful look resting on both of them, before turning and strolling out of sight. Stingmon darted forward, quick as could be, but returned a few seconds later. 

“No sign of her,” he reported, before shifting back to Wormmon. Ken caught him up in his arms and held him close. 

“That’s fine. We’ll find her later. You’re magnificent, Wormmon,” Ken praised. Then he smiled a deeper smile, one that came up from the depths of his heart. “And so is Stingmon. I hope I can see that again soon.” 

Wormmon cuddled into him. “I won’t let anyone hurt you, Ken-chan,” he promised. “Not now and not ever.” 

Ken still didn’t know why Wormmon would care about him so much. But he would do his best to be worthy of it, as long as he lived. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** So one more chapter to go!


	8. Chapter 8

**Title:** What’s In A Name  
**Characters:** Ken, Wormmon  
**Chapters:** Eight|| **Words:** 1,202|| **Total:** 9,815  
**Genre:** Drama, Friendship|| **Rated:** G  
**Challenges:** Diversity Writing, Digimon Adventure 02, canon: H10, 6+ chapters; Digimon Partners Boot Camp, Ken & Wormmon, #36, absolution; Include The Word Boot Camp,#26, alike; Character Diversity Boot Camp, #24, regroup (Ken)  
**Notes:** This is a bit of a rewrite/behind the scenes concerning Ken & Wormmon’s reunion and Wormmon’s first evolution to Stingmon.  
**Summary:** Ken’s no longer the Kaiser. It’s a new beginning, for him and for Wormmon.

* * *

Ken didn’t take a great many steps before he halted, a sudden frown twisting his lips. Wormmon stared up at him, pods scuffling in the dirt. 

“Ken-chan? Is something wrong?” 

Slowly Ken shook his head. “Not really. Something just occurred to me, that’s all.” 

Wormmon peered up at him, worry visible in every bit of his data. “Ken-chan?” 

“The others – the Chosen.” He worried at his lip. “What if she’s going to attack them, too?” 

Once he would have been irritated by that. They were his enemies – if anyone were going to defeat them, then he wanted that person to be him. Or so he had wanted. But now he wanted something else. Or rather, he didn’t want them to be hurt like that. They wouldn’t know – just like he hadn’t known. They wouldn’t know who this woman was – would they? He had no idea and he wasn’t sure if he could even ask them. 

Would they know that any Digimon she sent after them would be one of those former Spires, twisted by some fashion he couldn’t imagine? Would they be able to fight back? They’d fought against him but they’d always just destroyed the Rings and Spirals and whoever his slaves were, they’d all left peaceably afterwards. 

But he still remembered a tiny handful of Digimon who’d actually enjoyed being his servants and who ruled their own areas as ruthlessly as he had. She wasn’t one of them – not that he remembered. He could remember more about being the Kaiser when he really tried, but none of those memories included her. He knew that he’d never tried to get to know those Digimon – he’d considered them little more than useful tools who weren’t as likely to betray him as those he used his Rings and Spirals on – but he remained certain on that. 

Wormmon wriggled a bit more. “She might. What do you want to do? Warn them?” 

Ken considered that. He looked at his D-3 and thought about the D-Terminal that he had back home. He’d barely used it before, but perhaps – he wasn’t sure. Would they even be willing to listen? He was torn between wanting to make the attempt and not getting too close to them, for fear of what they would say or do. 

“I think we should,” he murmured at last. “We don’t have to stay there.” He worried at his lower lip. He wasn’t sure if he should try to approach one of them on their own, or which one if he should. Perhaps not Takaishi – it had only been less than ten minutes earlier that he’d destroyed the false Pidmon. He wasn’t sure if he was ready to take the chance of once more seeing a holy Digimon ready to rip his head from his shoulders – and this one he wouldn’t be able to stop. 

_Should I even try?_ Ken wanted to make up for everything that he’d done. He knew that he couldn’t do that if he died. But if dying were the only way that he could do it – he just wasn't sure. He had only the vaguest idea of what he really should do. 

But at least he could do this. He could tell the Chosen what he knew and let them decide what they did. They might even know more than he did about it. He squared up his shoulders. 

“Come on,” he said, pulling up his D-3 and checking the display. Now that he wasn’t actively trying to block it, he could see the small dots that represented the five Chosen. They weren’t all that far away and he thought he could get there pretty quickly if he made the effort. 

Then he stopped again and looked at Wormmon. “Can you evolve again? Or do you need to eat something first?” Didn’t Digimon need something to eat to support their strength? He started to check his pockets. Didn’t he have a cracker or something? 

“I am a little hungry,” Wormmon admitted. “But I think I could evolve.” 

Ken shook his head. “You should eat first.” He wasn’t going to push Wormmon too far. His partner – his _partner_ \- had evolved for the first time and that took a lot of energy. If it didn’t come from food, then it would come from – he jerked his thoughts away from that quickly. He’d done that to Agumon. He would never do that to Wormmon. Or anyone else, ever again. 

He couldn’t find anything in his pockets. He would have to change that. Wormmon, however, wriggled his way over to a tree hung with rainbow-striped fruit and stared up at them. 

“Those are good,” he reported. “Could I have one, Ken-chan?” There was the tiniest of hunches to the area that passed for his shoulders. Ken got a better look at the fruit-bearing trees and suffered a flash of memory, sharp and clear as a knife. 

_Wormmon staring up at him, eyes wide and full of hurt. Ken ignored it; it meant nothing to him. But with a wave of one hand, his Ringed and Spiraled servants unleashed a torrent of fire, crisping every one of the fruit trees, reducing them to digital ashes. He watched impassively the whole time, reveling in the way Wormmon wept. It was what he deserved, for not being strong enough. For not being good enough. For not being what Ken – the Kaiser – needed._

He fought to keep even more tears from falling. He wanted to find an end to all of that sorrow and the only way he could manage that was to keep working to fix his sins. Now he moved over and plucked one of the fruit. He knelt down and offered it to Wormmon. 

“Here. If you want more, let me know.” Ken also picked one for himself and began to nibble on it. The juice was sweet, breaking over his tongue in a wave of pleasure, and the flesh of the fruit could not be described for how good it was. He closed his eyes, feeling the juice dribble down his chin, and only opened them when he’d finished. Wormmon had almost finished his at the same time, his own eyes closed, quivering with delight as he chewed his way through the last of the fruit. 

Ken quickly picked two more of them and stuck them into a pocket. They would, he hoped, stay safe there for a while. Then he checked his D-3 again and worked out where the Chosen were from where he stood. The Chosen were closer than he’d thought at first – they’d moved from where he’d first seen them. 

Wormmon wriggled up next to him. “I can evolve now, Ken-chan,” his partner said, and Ken smiled, as much from the words as it was from just hearing Wormmon speak to him with such love. He regarded his D-3, then looked up at unexpected cries of surprise. 

_That’s them._ He wasn’t sure of what was going on, but he couldn’t let those cries go unanswered. 

“Then let’s go, Wormmon!” Ken declared, and a breath later, his partner flew alongside of him. Only for a moment, as Stingmon scooped him into his arms, and they headed off to help. 

* * *

**The End**

**Notes:** And you know what happens from there. I hope you liked this! It’s rather pleasant writing non-evil Ken at times.


End file.
